Travel to the EU from Georgia

11/05/2016 - 17:20

Travel to the EU

There are a variety of European Union (EU) opportunities available to Georgian individuals and institutions for engagement with EU organisations, policies and issues, as well as for EU nationals in Georgia.

Visa-free travel between Georgia and the EU came into force on March 28, 2017. This means that citizens of Georgia with biometric passports can enter the Schengen area visa-free and can stay for no more than 90 days in any 180-day period.

The visa free travel rules apply applies to 30 countries in total. This includes EU Member States, which are part of the Schengen area (Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden), EU Member States not yet fully applying the Schengen acquis (Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Romania) as well as Schengen-associated states (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland).

The visa free rules apply to travel only. They do not grant citizens of Georgia the right to reside for more than 3 months or take up employment in the Schengen area. People who hold a non-biometric passport only still need a visa. The same applies to those who intend to work during a short stay – or who want to stay for more than 90 days. Both visas and work permits are required.

Working or living in the Schengen area without the relevant national residence or working permit is illegal.

Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions fund worldwide and cross-sector mobility for all stages of a researcher’s career supporting research training and career development focused on innovation skills, forming part of the EU's Horizon 2020 programme.

Youth exchanges: These experiences lasting between 5 and 21 days allow young people from different cultures to work together on short-term projects. An EU grant to cover practical and activity-related costs is available.

European Voluntary Service: Young people aged 17-30 take part, through a sending and receiving organisation, in projects lasting from 2 weeks to 12 months. The projects range from being based on culture to those focused on the environment and development cooperation.

The Jean Monnet programme promotes excellence in the teaching and research of EU studies worldwide, developing dialogue between the academic world and policy makers.

Under the European Union Visitors Programme (EUVP), young leaders from outside the EU are invited on a 5-day visit to Brussels, giving participants a better understanding of the EU and its activities. Participation costs are fully met by the EU, while the Delegation provides visa support.